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Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Wolf Girl (Wolf Girl, #1) in Books
Jan 11, 2021
I got this from the Kindle Unlimited library
This starts with Demi being picked on by her school class for being the only shapeshifter and her trapped wolf trying to break free causing her to leave the room at a run and heading outside where she lets out a howl of pure anger. Only she isn't alone, an attractive wolf shifter - Sawyer - is behind her and invites her back to Wolf City - turns out he's the Alpha's son and will be Alpha very soon himself - and she goes with him, not expecting much, but finds herself included in a strange sort of real life The Bachelor type scenario.
I've never watched The Bachelor but i know the general idea for the show and this felt very similar. Although it was clear from early on that Sawyer is very much into Demi - more than any of the other girls, anyway. I liked how different it was in that way, I've never read a book that went along the lines of a dating show. It was kinda fun.
I actually really liked Sawyer. He wasn't the typical Alpha shifter. He could be very humble at times and was always considerate of what Demi wanted, unlike most other shifters you read about who are rather demanding and shove their thoughts and feelings onto others. I REALLY liked him!
Until that end bit! What was that all about? Doing a total 180 because of one strange thing that happened and then publicly declaring your marriage to someone else without talking about it? That totally knocked my rating down a full star because after everything that you'd done for each other, you do that to her?! It was totally out of left field.
Fair enough Demi thinks she's figured out whats happened but then it ended and I'm all up in the air. On one hand I was loving it up until that last chapter or so...
I need book 2 pronto so I can see what happens next with these two.
This starts with Demi being picked on by her school class for being the only shapeshifter and her trapped wolf trying to break free causing her to leave the room at a run and heading outside where she lets out a howl of pure anger. Only she isn't alone, an attractive wolf shifter - Sawyer - is behind her and invites her back to Wolf City - turns out he's the Alpha's son and will be Alpha very soon himself - and she goes with him, not expecting much, but finds herself included in a strange sort of real life The Bachelor type scenario.
I've never watched The Bachelor but i know the general idea for the show and this felt very similar. Although it was clear from early on that Sawyer is very much into Demi - more than any of the other girls, anyway. I liked how different it was in that way, I've never read a book that went along the lines of a dating show. It was kinda fun.
I actually really liked Sawyer. He wasn't the typical Alpha shifter. He could be very humble at times and was always considerate of what Demi wanted, unlike most other shifters you read about who are rather demanding and shove their thoughts and feelings onto others. I REALLY liked him!
Until that end bit! What was that all about? Doing a total 180 because of one strange thing that happened and then publicly declaring your marriage to someone else without talking about it? That totally knocked my rating down a full star because after everything that you'd done for each other, you do that to her?! It was totally out of left field.
Fair enough Demi thinks she's figured out whats happened but then it ended and I'm all up in the air. On one hand I was loving it up until that last chapter or so...
I need book 2 pronto so I can see what happens next with these two.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Lies That Bind in Books
Jun 11, 2020
After Cecily breaks up with her boyfriend, Matthew, she's filled with regret and what ifs. She finds herself at a bar, reaching for the phone to call him. But she's stopped by another patron, who tells her not to. They start chatting-fueled by alcohol-and spend a memorable night together (not in that way). But Grant is dealing with a lot: his brother is ill and he's about to head overseas to help him with his treatment. Still, Cecily promises to wait for him. Then Grant returns and is immediately lost in 9/11. Cecily begins to investigate, searching for answers about the man she felt was The One.
Well, this book played with my emotions, but not necessarily in a good way. It was somewhat predictable and, honestly, I'm not sure why it needed to use the backdrop of September 11th for its story. The "one that got away" could have happened without using such a tragic event in this way. Cecily talks so much about her feelings for New York that it felt wrong to have 9/11 as a plot point that didn't really need to be there (I don't want to go into more and spoil anything else).
I'll admit that the book is oddly compelling. I read it in about a day. Cecily made a lot of bad decisions, but I wanted to see how her life was going to turn out. The focus on love, trust, and loyalty certain gives us universal themes with which we can all relate. But I was frustrated with Cecily's choices, the weird plot decisions/coincidences, and the overall ending. Everything just left me with a bad taste in my mouth, even if I was quickly flipping the pages. I hope that makes sense. It's a shame, because overall, I really enjoy Giffin's books. Alas, this clocks in at 2.5 stars for me.
Well, this book played with my emotions, but not necessarily in a good way. It was somewhat predictable and, honestly, I'm not sure why it needed to use the backdrop of September 11th for its story. The "one that got away" could have happened without using such a tragic event in this way. Cecily talks so much about her feelings for New York that it felt wrong to have 9/11 as a plot point that didn't really need to be there (I don't want to go into more and spoil anything else).
I'll admit that the book is oddly compelling. I read it in about a day. Cecily made a lot of bad decisions, but I wanted to see how her life was going to turn out. The focus on love, trust, and loyalty certain gives us universal themes with which we can all relate. But I was frustrated with Cecily's choices, the weird plot decisions/coincidences, and the overall ending. Everything just left me with a bad taste in my mouth, even if I was quickly flipping the pages. I hope that makes sense. It's a shame, because overall, I really enjoy Giffin's books. Alas, this clocks in at 2.5 stars for me.
Ali A (78 KP) rated The Extraordinaries in Books
Apr 15, 2020
friendship dynamic (1 more)
teen angst
obviousness (1 more)
stupidity
Feel Good Teen Superheroes
The Extraordinaries is about Nick Bell and his love for his city's Extraordinary, Shadow Star. So much love that he writes he's an online popular fanfiction writer for the Shadow Star fandom. After events occur Nick decides he must change himself into an Extraordinary with the help of his best friends Gibby, Jazz, and his friend who looks super cute in bowties and ascots, Seth.
This is the first book of TJ Klune that I read, and if I remember correctly, this is his first YA release - he did a good job! The Extraordinaries has a little bit of everything. LGBTQ characters, including a badass lesbian couple, we have superheroes, ADHD representation, and well rounded, unique characters.
I loved the friend dynamic of Nick, Seth, Gibby, and Jazz. They're all there to support each other no matter the topic. Which is great, because some of the things that Nick did in the book annoyed me so much. Here his friends are doing everything they can to support him and he'd be very self-centered about it... even doing something that, in all honesty, I don't see anyone doing older than ten, much less sixteen, because of how stupid it was. He remained frustratingly oblivious on a lot of things and it goes from being realistic to just plain stupidity.
The reveal is hinted nearly all the way through the book and I guessed it for the most part, which is what I think Klune was trying to do. There are quite a few twists that I wasn't expecting so that made the novel exciting.
Overall, it was a good YA debut novel. I've already got the sequel on my lists to look out for.
*Thank you BookishFirst and Tor Teen for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review
This is the first book of TJ Klune that I read, and if I remember correctly, this is his first YA release - he did a good job! The Extraordinaries has a little bit of everything. LGBTQ characters, including a badass lesbian couple, we have superheroes, ADHD representation, and well rounded, unique characters.
I loved the friend dynamic of Nick, Seth, Gibby, and Jazz. They're all there to support each other no matter the topic. Which is great, because some of the things that Nick did in the book annoyed me so much. Here his friends are doing everything they can to support him and he'd be very self-centered about it... even doing something that, in all honesty, I don't see anyone doing older than ten, much less sixteen, because of how stupid it was. He remained frustratingly oblivious on a lot of things and it goes from being realistic to just plain stupidity.
The reveal is hinted nearly all the way through the book and I guessed it for the most part, which is what I think Klune was trying to do. There are quite a few twists that I wasn't expecting so that made the novel exciting.
Overall, it was a good YA debut novel. I've already got the sequel on my lists to look out for.
*Thank you BookishFirst and Tor Teen for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review
The House on the Lake
8.0
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No matter how far you run . . . He's never far behind 'Gripping, poignant' Rosamund Lupton ...
Kill Switch
9.0
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"I've done far worse than what I went to prison for. She has no idea how bad this can get." ...
Devil's night kill switch dark twisted
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated The Kid Who Would Be King (2019) in Movies
Jun 22, 2019 (Updated Sep 25, 2019)
Let's start by saying that this film is a wonderfully entertaining adventure, I don't remember the last time this sort of story graced our screens. I've always been a fan of myths and legends and this didn't disappoint.
I'm not really sure how well myths and legends are known these days, they were one of my favourite things as a child but the topic seems to go in and out of favour. I thought it was a nice start to the whole film to show a summary of the King Arthur legend, and the graphic novel style made a nice link throughout.
There are lots of great things about the film but I think my favourite is how they managed to align the fantasy and reality. The transitions between night and day, the depths of Morgana's prison and her army of the undead are all top notch. There's only one brief moment where I grumbled and that was during Morgana's transformation, she briefly resembles a poor quality Voldemort.
Louis Ashbourne Serkis gives a great performance as Alex our reluctant hero and he's supported by some solid acting, young and old(er). The little comedy duo of Alex and Bedders is so cute comparing themselves to Frodo and Sam *squee*. The adult cast was on form too, although we don't get to see much of Denise Gough, Noma Dumezweni and Mark Bonnar, which made me a little sad. Rebecca Ferguson fairs better with screen time and managed to get the evil thing down, she was particularly menacing as Morgana. Lastly cast-wise is obviously Patrick Stewart, I love him but this film made me a little glum. Firstly because young Merlin got more screen time and secondly because he looks old... that's not supposed to happen!!
At two hours it's quite long for a family film but it actually feels like it should have been longer. The ending of the film just sort of happens, the school montage and fight scenes feel relatively short when considered as part of the whole. I honestly think that the film could have taken an extra twenty minutes or so to properly complete that ending.
What you should do
You should definitely see this film, it's good old fashioned fun for all ages
Movie thing you wish you could take home
I could do with a personal Lady of the Lake who can bring me my things when they go missing.
I'm not really sure how well myths and legends are known these days, they were one of my favourite things as a child but the topic seems to go in and out of favour. I thought it was a nice start to the whole film to show a summary of the King Arthur legend, and the graphic novel style made a nice link throughout.
There are lots of great things about the film but I think my favourite is how they managed to align the fantasy and reality. The transitions between night and day, the depths of Morgana's prison and her army of the undead are all top notch. There's only one brief moment where I grumbled and that was during Morgana's transformation, she briefly resembles a poor quality Voldemort.
Louis Ashbourne Serkis gives a great performance as Alex our reluctant hero and he's supported by some solid acting, young and old(er). The little comedy duo of Alex and Bedders is so cute comparing themselves to Frodo and Sam *squee*. The adult cast was on form too, although we don't get to see much of Denise Gough, Noma Dumezweni and Mark Bonnar, which made me a little sad. Rebecca Ferguson fairs better with screen time and managed to get the evil thing down, she was particularly menacing as Morgana. Lastly cast-wise is obviously Patrick Stewart, I love him but this film made me a little glum. Firstly because young Merlin got more screen time and secondly because he looks old... that's not supposed to happen!!
At two hours it's quite long for a family film but it actually feels like it should have been longer. The ending of the film just sort of happens, the school montage and fight scenes feel relatively short when considered as part of the whole. I honestly think that the film could have taken an extra twenty minutes or so to properly complete that ending.
What you should do
You should definitely see this film, it's good old fashioned fun for all ages
Movie thing you wish you could take home
I could do with a personal Lady of the Lake who can bring me my things when they go missing.
Debbiereadsbook (1166 KP) rated 3 Is The Magic Number (The Flamingo Bar #3) in Books
Feb 6, 2021
The level of communication is top notch,
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is book 3 in the Flamingo Bar series, BUT you don't NEED to have read the other books first. What you DO NEED to read, however, is The App book 3, Puppy Play. That is the beginning of Jake, Sam and Bailey's journey, and this book is the conclusion (kinda!)
Bailey ran after seeing Jake and Sam in Jake's playroom, and he knows he needs to talk to them both. Having hidden his submission for so long, and his love for Sam, he struggles. Jake, however, is very sure who he wants in his life, and it's both Sam AND Bailey. Sam just has to make Bailey see that he loves him too.
I loved Puppy Play and I was looking forward to reading about Jake, Sam and Bailey getting their Happy Ever After. And I did enjoy it, I really did, it just doesn't hit THAT spot that Puppy Play did!
All three guys get a say, in the first person. So we get them all, pouring their hearts out to themselves, and to each other. The level of communication is top notch, mostly because Jake wants them ALL to be open and honest. Jake does slip up though, and it just goes to show you, he's only human and Sam and Bailey need to take him off the pedestal.
Sam and Bailey carry a huge amount of baggage from their pasts, Jake not so much. So Sam and Bailey do most of the soul searching here. I loved that they both found someone outside of their relationship to talk to, and that they both got the clarity they needed from the guys in the club.
The heat level is high, as you would expect with a 3 way and I loved that Jake was able to get Bailey into that place he never did before: sub-space. Sam needs his puppy gear, and a ball to play with, but I loved that the 3 of them made this work.
I read this in one sitting. So I was fully engaged and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It just doesn't hit the heights Puppy Play, for me! *sorry!*
4.5 stars, rounded down for the blog.
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
This is book 3 in the Flamingo Bar series, BUT you don't NEED to have read the other books first. What you DO NEED to read, however, is The App book 3, Puppy Play. That is the beginning of Jake, Sam and Bailey's journey, and this book is the conclusion (kinda!)
Bailey ran after seeing Jake and Sam in Jake's playroom, and he knows he needs to talk to them both. Having hidden his submission for so long, and his love for Sam, he struggles. Jake, however, is very sure who he wants in his life, and it's both Sam AND Bailey. Sam just has to make Bailey see that he loves him too.
I loved Puppy Play and I was looking forward to reading about Jake, Sam and Bailey getting their Happy Ever After. And I did enjoy it, I really did, it just doesn't hit THAT spot that Puppy Play did!
All three guys get a say, in the first person. So we get them all, pouring their hearts out to themselves, and to each other. The level of communication is top notch, mostly because Jake wants them ALL to be open and honest. Jake does slip up though, and it just goes to show you, he's only human and Sam and Bailey need to take him off the pedestal.
Sam and Bailey carry a huge amount of baggage from their pasts, Jake not so much. So Sam and Bailey do most of the soul searching here. I loved that they both found someone outside of their relationship to talk to, and that they both got the clarity they needed from the guys in the club.
The heat level is high, as you would expect with a 3 way and I loved that Jake was able to get Bailey into that place he never did before: sub-space. Sam needs his puppy gear, and a ball to play with, but I loved that the 3 of them made this work.
I read this in one sitting. So I was fully engaged and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It just doesn't hit the heights Puppy Play, for me! *sorry!*
4.5 stars, rounded down for the blog.
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Lee (2222 KP) rated Dunkirk (2017) in Movies
Jul 26, 2017
Breathtaking and Intense
It's 1940 and the Nazis are overpowering the British army, forcing them to retreat to Dunkirk in an effort to return home to England. The English channel is all that stands in the way of the 400,000 soldiers that are stranded on the beach. The story begins with Tommy (Fionn Whitehead), making his way through the town as propaganda is being dropped from the sky, informing them that the enemy are closing in. After a brief dash to avoid the bullets that begin raining down on him and some fellow soldiers, he barely manages to make it to the beach where the immense desperation of the situation becomes apparent. Thousands of men lined up, waiting for something to free them while bodies wash up on the beach. The cinematic scale is, as you'd expect from Christopher Nolan, impressive. And it doesn't let up from then on.
We follow three different stories, covering land, sea and air and spanning differing time-frames. Intersecting and even overtaking each other at crucial moments, which sounds confusing but actually works very well. After being introduced to the perspective on land, which then continues to play out over a week, we're introduced to Mr Dawson (Mark Rylance) as he prepares to set off from England by yacht along with his son and another local boy, loaded with lifejackets and keen to do their bit to help bring our boys home. This storyline is set to play out over the period of one day. Finally, we're introduced to RAF pilot Farrier (Tom Hardy), whose story will play out over an hour. He's up in the sky, over the channel. As we alternate between each story, momentum is never lost and the tension continues to grow as time, and available options, begin to dwindle. On land, bombs, bullets and torpedoes repeatedly prevent a successful escape, sinking boats and ships. Up in the air, a damaged fuel gauge means that Farrier has to constantly guesstimate how much fuel and time he's got left before dropping out of the sky, while single-handedly taking out enemy planes in the process. Down on the water, Dawson and his small crew have their own drama after rescuing a stranded soldier (Cillian Murphy). Clearly a broken man who takes a turn for the worse upon realising that they're not headed for home and are in fact on their way back to the hell that he's just left behind.
Despite featuring a number of famous faces, probably the most surprising cast member of all is Harry Styles. Every time he features in a scene, and he does feature quite a bit, it kind of threw me off balance and I was just expecting him to cock the whole thing up. Luckily he doesn't. This is a truly breathtaking movie, with no over the top CGI or gore and with everyone at the top of their game. Perfectly ramped up tension, accompanied by an intense musical score from the fantastic Hans Zimmer. The dogfights, featuring real spitfires filmed over the English Channel, are also incredible with the roar of their engines and bullets flying. The movie does an amazing job of fully immersing you in this pivotal moment of history. It's truly edge of seat stuff throughout. Incredible.
We follow three different stories, covering land, sea and air and spanning differing time-frames. Intersecting and even overtaking each other at crucial moments, which sounds confusing but actually works very well. After being introduced to the perspective on land, which then continues to play out over a week, we're introduced to Mr Dawson (Mark Rylance) as he prepares to set off from England by yacht along with his son and another local boy, loaded with lifejackets and keen to do their bit to help bring our boys home. This storyline is set to play out over the period of one day. Finally, we're introduced to RAF pilot Farrier (Tom Hardy), whose story will play out over an hour. He's up in the sky, over the channel. As we alternate between each story, momentum is never lost and the tension continues to grow as time, and available options, begin to dwindle. On land, bombs, bullets and torpedoes repeatedly prevent a successful escape, sinking boats and ships. Up in the air, a damaged fuel gauge means that Farrier has to constantly guesstimate how much fuel and time he's got left before dropping out of the sky, while single-handedly taking out enemy planes in the process. Down on the water, Dawson and his small crew have their own drama after rescuing a stranded soldier (Cillian Murphy). Clearly a broken man who takes a turn for the worse upon realising that they're not headed for home and are in fact on their way back to the hell that he's just left behind.
Despite featuring a number of famous faces, probably the most surprising cast member of all is Harry Styles. Every time he features in a scene, and he does feature quite a bit, it kind of threw me off balance and I was just expecting him to cock the whole thing up. Luckily he doesn't. This is a truly breathtaking movie, with no over the top CGI or gore and with everyone at the top of their game. Perfectly ramped up tension, accompanied by an intense musical score from the fantastic Hans Zimmer. The dogfights, featuring real spitfires filmed over the English Channel, are also incredible with the roar of their engines and bullets flying. The movie does an amazing job of fully immersing you in this pivotal moment of history. It's truly edge of seat stuff throughout. Incredible.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated A Dream About Lightning Bugs: A Life of Music and Cheap Lessons in Books
Oct 14, 2019
Ben Folds--as you probably know if you're interested in his autobiography/memoir--is a singer-songwriter who became popular in the 1990s as part of the band Ben Folds Five. He's well-known for his piano skills, vocals, and songwriting. He's also had a somewhat tumultuous personal life, with multiple marriages that ended in divorce. This memoir covers his childhood and his fame with Ben Folds Five and his solo career, up until the relative present.
"This is a book about what I know. Or what I think I know. It's about music and how it has framed and informed my life and vice versa. About the stumbles, falls, and other brilliant strokes of luck that brought me here."
I discovered Ben Folds Five in college via my roommate/best friend, and I've been a fan ever since. I was excited to read this, but I've gotta admit: it was a slog. I basically forced myself to finish. I've always sort of thought of Ben Folds as a bit arrogant, so that may have clouded some of my reading of this autobiography. It certainly didn't help dissuade me of that opinion.
For me, the best parts were when Folds was talking naturally about his life and story. His childhood was interesting and it was really no surprise that he was a musically obsessed, somewhat irreverent kid. It was intriguing to see the various paths that led him to Ben Folds Five and stardom.
I did not enjoy--at all--the part where he felt the need to impart forced, preachy lessons about life and music. Maybe if I was more of a music person (as in, I played it versus listened to it) the music lessons would have been of interest. It felt like an editor said, "Ben, every few chapters you have to make sure the reader learns something." And he diligently and forcefully made sure we did. But the point of the book seemed to be that he was a screw up, who got where he was halfway by accident, so the whole lessons thing seemed awfully preachy and fake.
The better pieces were funny anecdotes--Folds playing as a one-man polka band and winding up doing a private gig for an elderly couple, where the husband had a wooden leg. Folds meeting a then-unknown Keith Urban. How he met Robert and Darren of Ben Folds Five. I was disappointed how much he skipped over as he became a more famous musician. We get a lot about his childhood, his various tries at college, and his musical attempts up until Ben Folds Five. He does talk about the formation of Ben Folds Five and how it felt to suddenly become so famous. But then, so much of the detail dwindles. He alludes to how the band might have had some tension, but the actual breakup, via email, gets a few sentences. Even his many marriages and his associated emotional turmoil gets glossed over quite a bit.
So, for me, I was left wishing for more with this one. It's a good quick brush-over of Ben Folds' life. There are some cheesy, slightly pompous "life lessons" inserted. You get a few funny stories among all this and the backstory behind a few songs: that, to me, was the good stuff. Otherwise, it was a bit of a drag, and I didn't finish really knowing much more about the real Ben Folds than I did when I came in. Rather disappointing. 2.5 stars.
"This is a book about what I know. Or what I think I know. It's about music and how it has framed and informed my life and vice versa. About the stumbles, falls, and other brilliant strokes of luck that brought me here."
I discovered Ben Folds Five in college via my roommate/best friend, and I've been a fan ever since. I was excited to read this, but I've gotta admit: it was a slog. I basically forced myself to finish. I've always sort of thought of Ben Folds as a bit arrogant, so that may have clouded some of my reading of this autobiography. It certainly didn't help dissuade me of that opinion.
For me, the best parts were when Folds was talking naturally about his life and story. His childhood was interesting and it was really no surprise that he was a musically obsessed, somewhat irreverent kid. It was intriguing to see the various paths that led him to Ben Folds Five and stardom.
I did not enjoy--at all--the part where he felt the need to impart forced, preachy lessons about life and music. Maybe if I was more of a music person (as in, I played it versus listened to it) the music lessons would have been of interest. It felt like an editor said, "Ben, every few chapters you have to make sure the reader learns something." And he diligently and forcefully made sure we did. But the point of the book seemed to be that he was a screw up, who got where he was halfway by accident, so the whole lessons thing seemed awfully preachy and fake.
The better pieces were funny anecdotes--Folds playing as a one-man polka band and winding up doing a private gig for an elderly couple, where the husband had a wooden leg. Folds meeting a then-unknown Keith Urban. How he met Robert and Darren of Ben Folds Five. I was disappointed how much he skipped over as he became a more famous musician. We get a lot about his childhood, his various tries at college, and his musical attempts up until Ben Folds Five. He does talk about the formation of Ben Folds Five and how it felt to suddenly become so famous. But then, so much of the detail dwindles. He alludes to how the band might have had some tension, but the actual breakup, via email, gets a few sentences. Even his many marriages and his associated emotional turmoil gets glossed over quite a bit.
So, for me, I was left wishing for more with this one. It's a good quick brush-over of Ben Folds' life. There are some cheesy, slightly pompous "life lessons" inserted. You get a few funny stories among all this and the backstory behind a few songs: that, to me, was the good stuff. Otherwise, it was a bit of a drag, and I didn't finish really knowing much more about the real Ben Folds than I did when I came in. Rather disappointing. 2.5 stars.
Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated The Girl in The Tower: The Winternight Trilogy in Books
Mar 22, 2018
The Girl in the Tower is the second in the Winternight Trilogy, after the acclaimed debut novel, The Bear and the Nightingale. It's always hard to talk about sequels without giving too much away about the preceding books, so forgive me if I'm vague. One advantage to waiting so long to read The Bear and the Nightingale was that I got to jump straight into the sequel! Now I have to several months for the third.
The Girl in the Tower revisits our heroine, Vasya, from the first book. Now she has left home to begin her adventures - though her travels are curtailed pretty quickly, and she's roped into going to Moscow with her brother and the Grand Prince, while disguised as a boy. While in Moscow she learns a little bit more about her family history, and I'm hoping the rest will be revealed in the third book this summer. (The Winter of the Witch is scheduled to release in August 2018.)
In this second book, Vasya has done some growing, and has learned to make use of the spirits she sees - she knows the hearth spirits can always find their families, and uses that trait to track a kidnapped girl when no one else can. So long as no one realizes what she's doing, she's fine. But Rus is in the crossover period between the old ways and the new, and if she's found talking to spirits, she'll be branded a witch all over again. She keeps her masquerade going through the first two-thirds of the book, but it's obvious it's going to fail eventually. The way in which it does is sudden and unexpected, and the repercussions are harsh.
And then there's Morozko, the Frost Demon, the god of death. I love Morozko. He's by necessity enigmatic - and in a rough position. I want he and Vasya to fall in love and have a happy ending - the attraction between them is impossible to miss - but immortal beings, in this world, can't love. If they love they lose their immortality. And, possibly, their lives entirely. I hope the author has a solution in mind for these two, because I currently don't see one.
I actually liked this one more than the first book, which is unusual. I liked the first one, but I wasn't blown away. This one pulled me in and didn't let me go. Amazing sequel, and I hope the third one lives up to this standard!
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
The Girl in the Tower revisits our heroine, Vasya, from the first book. Now she has left home to begin her adventures - though her travels are curtailed pretty quickly, and she's roped into going to Moscow with her brother and the Grand Prince, while disguised as a boy. While in Moscow she learns a little bit more about her family history, and I'm hoping the rest will be revealed in the third book this summer. (The Winter of the Witch is scheduled to release in August 2018.)
In this second book, Vasya has done some growing, and has learned to make use of the spirits she sees - she knows the hearth spirits can always find their families, and uses that trait to track a kidnapped girl when no one else can. So long as no one realizes what she's doing, she's fine. But Rus is in the crossover period between the old ways and the new, and if she's found talking to spirits, she'll be branded a witch all over again. She keeps her masquerade going through the first two-thirds of the book, but it's obvious it's going to fail eventually. The way in which it does is sudden and unexpected, and the repercussions are harsh.
And then there's Morozko, the Frost Demon, the god of death. I love Morozko. He's by necessity enigmatic - and in a rough position. I want he and Vasya to fall in love and have a happy ending - the attraction between them is impossible to miss - but immortal beings, in this world, can't love. If they love they lose their immortality. And, possibly, their lives entirely. I hope the author has a solution in mind for these two, because I currently don't see one.
I actually liked this one more than the first book, which is unusual. I liked the first one, but I wasn't blown away. This one pulled me in and didn't let me go. Amazing sequel, and I hope the third one lives up to this standard!
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com